Manchester United's goals this season are as clear as they can be. With no other competitions to focus on, the job requirement is to finish in the top five of the Premier League and qualify for next season's Champions League.

However, since Michael Carrick joined the club, this expectation has shifted slightly. While the main goal remains Champions League qualification, United have won seven of their last ten games and shot up to third in the table.

Now, those around Old Trafford are hoping that the club can finish this season by sitting third in the Premier League table, above rivals such as Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

The club's good form in the last few months have also led some to suggest that the club should look to aim higher next season and possibly push for a return to the top o the Premier League table.

While Carrick has been the main figurehead surrounding the club's fantastic form in 2026, another man who deserves plenty of credit is his assistant coach, Steve Holland.

Having worked with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, as well as in Gareth Southgate's England set-up, Holland knows how to win and push for the biggest trophies in world football.

While there is still no certainty about Carrick and his coaching staff staying at United beyond the end of this season, this has not stopped Holland from talking about the language the club should use.

Speaking with club media, Holland suggested that, no matter what, United's language should focus on finishing as close as possible to the top of the league table this season, suggesting they should strive for more than European football next campaign.

"I think the language we should be using as this club is to finish as close as we possibly can to the top," Holland remarked.

"I don’t know how possible that is, but that has to be the challenge always: to get as close as we possibly can to the top.

"We’ve been speaking more to the players really about winning our matches, rather than thinking too much about what’s happening below.

"But yeah, clearly given the context, to finish in the Champions League places would be a good situation for us, but I think always we should be looking for more than that.”

The United board have made it very clear for the last two seasons that their plan is to try and push to win the Premier League title at the end of the 2027/28 season, which is two years from now.

With the club looking set to secure Champions League football for the coming campaign, the goal in that competition will no doubt be to reach at least the quarter-final stage.

As for the two cup competitions, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, it would be brilliant to see United lift one, with silverware no doubt on the agenda at Old Trafford.

As for the Premier League, if United can finish third this season, possibly with over 70 points if they win five of their last seven games, the goal would be to improve on this. A Premier League title push is a possibility, but not a probability.